11/17/2003

A History Lesson For Conservatives:
Zell Miller, long gone insane Democrat by choice only, former governor of Georgia, and currently a soon-to-be retired Senator from that state, has compared the Democrats' opposition to conservative African-American female judicial nominee Janice Rogers Brown to "lynching." To be precise, he said that Democrats are essentially telling Brown, "Gal, you will be lynched" if she pursues her Rove-chosen nomination (for maximum divisiveness, no doubt) to a U.S. Appeals Court. Conservative columnist Thomas Sowell (sorry not to use the well-worn "Uncle" there) trotted out his blackness for all to see when he said of Brown's opponents "A Lynch Mob Gathers." Sowell, never one to be concise when demonstrating obsequiousness to his white masters, takes three columns to defend Brown.

Okay, gang. The Rude Pundit is only going to say this once. This is a lynching which, conveniently, took place right near where the President has his "ranch":
"His name was Jesse Washington, a 17-year-old black youth who was born in rural Texas in 1897. He worked on a farm outside Waco which belonged to George and Lucy Fryer. In May, 1916, Washington was convicted in City Court of murdering Lucy Fryer. During the proceedings, he apologized and confessed to the crime. At the end of the trial, Washington was sentenced to death by hanging. Residents, however, were already in an uproar over the crime. A black man who attacked a white woman in any way whatsoever during that era in the South evoked little sympathy from the public. Within five minutes of the sentencing, dozens of court spectators jumped the railing, fought with officials and seized the terrified defendant. He was immediately set upon by a vicious gang using clubs, shovels and bricks. He was stripped naked and dragged kicking and screaming to the lawn directly in front of City Hall. Townspeople had already built a giant bonfire underneath a large tree. The crowd was later estimated to be as large as 15,000 people. Included in the cheering multitude was the Police Chief and the Mayor of Waco. Other police officers also stood by during the sickening ordeal which played out in the symbolic shadow of City Hall. Washington was immersed in coal oil, hoisted up onto the tree and slowly lowered into the fire. Some of the spectators cut off fingers and toes from the corpse as souvenirs. His remains were dumped into a burlap bag and hung from a pole while many in the crowd cheered." Check out the photos and other graphic details here.

Now, whiny pussy ass conservative blathering Bush bitch whores aside, with Janice Rogers Brown, who believes that the New Deal was the triumph of "socialist revolution" in the United States and sees government as destroying communities and families and believes that the elderly "cannibalize their grandchildren" , we have the possible denial of a lifetime judicial appointment. Man, that really seems like small change compared to being immersed in coal oil and burned to death. Or is integrity in the judiciary and the protection of civil rights like a rope around the neck of the conservative movement in this country?